Much more to India than the Taj

India has a mixed reputation abroad, known for its amazing history, stunning architecture and impressive landscapes. It is also known for its heavy pollution, abject poverty and social cruelty. This means India will attract a certain kind of traveller, and completely deter others.

For those that do come, the sights to be seen are on a well-marked tourist trail and statistically few stray too far from the well-worn path, but there is so much more to this vast and fascinating country than the Taj Mahal and Jaipur.

As India’s economy picks up, its tourist potential is also being looked at. Many of what can be considered the country’s most beautiful structures and sights are never seen by most visitors. One strange statistic is that the venerable Taj Mahal received 593, 637 visitors in 2005, 364,997 of which were locals. Another great monument still in Agra, the tomb of Miriam, the wife of Mughal emperor Akbar received and unbelievable 43 visitors. 43!!

If the infrastructure is to improve in India, its not even foreigners that will spurn the change, it’s the ever-growing Indian middle class of 250 million people.
Junko Okashi of UNESCO explains about the amazing sights of India that have remained largely unseen and whether or not they have been damaged through the ages:

“On the contrary, many of India’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites have been well preserved precisely because the access is difficult. We have 22 official languages and 4000 dialects. When you travel from one state to another the language, dress, people, food, culture… all this changes.”

portal.unesco.org